1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a gutter cleaning system and more particularly pertains to conveniently removing debris from gutters.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The use of house maintenance devices and apparatuses of known design and configuration is known in the prior art. More specifically, house maintenance devices and apparatuses of known design and configuration previously devised and utilized for the purpose of simplifying house maintenance through known methods and apparatuses are known to consist basically of familiar, expected, and obvious structural configurations, notwithstanding the myriad of designs encompassed by the crowded prior art which has been developed for the fulfillment of countless objectives and requirements.
By way of example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,855,402 to Maraschiello, issued Jan. 5, 1999 discloses a rain gutter cleaning tool wherein the tool is supported and carried on an elongated pole with a fixed handle at one end, an intermediate actuating handle and operating gripper jaw mechanism on the other end. U.S. Pat. No. 5,988,715 to Mason, issued Nov. 23, 1999 discloses an apparatus for cleaning drain gutters. It includes a scoop member, a pole of telescopically adjustable length, and an attachment member of inverted U-shaped configuration that extends in joinder between the scoop member and the pole. U.S. Pat. No. 6,017,070 to Poppa, issued Jan. 25, 2000, discloses a cleaning tool particularly adapted for cleaning gutters. The tool has members which are movable relative to each other by a mechanism that is manipulated by the user on a pole that allows the members to be placed at an elevated site and then closed upon the material to be removed, then lifted and the material released. U.S. Pat. No. 4,848,818 to Smith, issued Jul. 18, 1989, discloses a gutter cleaning tool, with a multi-positional and a self locking joint, that can be remotely operated by hand from an oblique angle. U.S. Pat. No. 4,835,799, issued to Beelart, Jr., Issued Jun. 6, 1989 discloses an apparatus for manipulating the hinged member. U.S. Pat. No. 4,726,090, issued to Kilpatrick on Feb. 23, 1988, discloses a gutter cleaning device for use by a person standing on the roof of the house or building. Lastly, U.S. Pat. No. 4,542,553, issued to Cary on Sep. 24, 1985 relates to a device for removing debris from gutters. The tool comprises a singular rod-like member to which is attached a plate adjacent one end and a handle adjacent the other, an which is so configured that the plate can be scraped along an eave trough by a user and which can safely be used by a user positioned on a ladder.
While these devices fulfill their respective, particular objectives and requirements, the aforementioned patents do not describe a gutter cleaning system that allows conveniently removing debris from gutters.
In this respect, the a gutter cleaning system according to the present invention substantially departs from the conventional concepts and designs of the prior art, and in doing so provides an apparatus primarily developed for the purpose of conveniently removing debris from gutters.
Therefore, it can be appreciated that there exists a continuing need for a new and improved a gutter cleaning system which can be used for conveniently removing debris from gutters. In this regard, the present invention substantially fulfills this need.
In view of the foregoing disadvantages inherent in the known types of house maintenance devices and apparatuses of known design and configuration now present in the prior art, the present invention provides an improved a gutter cleaning system. As such, the general purpose of the present invention, which will be described subsequently in greater detail, is to provide a new and improved a gutter cleaning system and method which has all the advantages of the prior art and none of the disadvantages.
To attain this, the present invention essentially comprises a gutter cleaning system for safely and conveniently removing debris from gutters comprising the following components, in combination. The shovel is in a flat, rectangular configuration. The shovel is comprised of a rigid material, preferably metal, and has a thickness of between about {fraction (10/1000)}ths to {fraction (30/1000)}ths of an inch, giving it strength and rigidity to sufficiently provide a rigid, durable working surface. The shovel size is between about 5 and 6 inches in length on the longitudinal axis, and between about 2 to 3 inches in width on the transverse axis, also known as the lateral axis, having a ratio of length to width being between about 2.0 to 2.5. The shovel ends with an square edge on the outboard end and in a V-like shape, pointed in the long axis, at the inboard end. There is a connecting component comprising a rigid, preferably metal, shaft, having the diameter of between about xc2xc inch to {fraction (3/4)} inch, in a xe2x80x9cZxe2x80x9d shaped configuration. The two ends of the xe2x80x9cZxe2x80x9d have between about 10 to 30 degrees of angle off the longitudinal axis of the shovel. The central portion is continuous with the two ends, the outboard end being attached and blended into the shovel surface, by a weld to the midpoint of the inboard end of the shovel. The weld is located at the midpoint of the inboard end of the shovel. The inboard end of the connecting component is in the form of a rounded shaft. The next component is a handle which has an inboard and outboard component. The outboard component comprises a straight, tube-like shaft of lightweight material, between about xc2xd inch to 1-xc2xd inches in diameter, having a wall thickness sufficient to provide rigidity. The outboard component has an open outboard end, the opening being sized to tightly accommodate the inboard shaft of the handle thread, that comprises a shaft of plastic, between about 2 and 4 inches long, having an inboard and outboard end. The inboard end is defined as that part of the handle thread, from the mid-length point of the handle thread, to the inboard end, having a diameter of between about xc2xe inch and 1-xc2xd inches, lying in the longitudinal plane with a flat inboard end. The outboard portion of the handle thread runs from the mid-length point of the handle thread shaft, along the longitudinal axis to the outboard end of the handle thread. The outboard portion is threaded to mate with the threads of the inboard end of the handle connector. The outboard handle runs inboardly, along the longitudinal axis to the inboard end of that handle component, and has a plastic-like twist locking mechanism fixed in place at the inboard end. The twist locking mechanism comprises a hard plastic-like material shaft between about 2 and 4 inches long, with a small central aperture through the length, along the long axis, sufficient to allow the passage of air, as well as a split rotatable rings The shaft of the locking mechanism has an outboard diameter sufficiently sized to be press fit a distance of between about 1 and 2 inches into the inboard end of the outboard component of the handle. It has a greatest external diameter sufficient to match the outside diameter of the outboard handle commencing between about 1 and 2 inches from the most outboard end of the shaft. The locking mechanism shaft is reduced to form an off-center shaft with a lobe, between about xc2xc inch and 1 inch in diameter, a distance of between about {fraction (1/2 )} inch and 1 inch along the long axis, to accept the split rotatable ring. The lobed portion is located between about xc2xc and {fraction (1/2 )}inch from the inboard end of the shaft. The rotatable split ring, comprised of plastic, the width of between about xc2xd inch and 2 inches, has its inside diameter sufficient to accommodate the lobed shaft of the locking mechanism shaft. The lobe is off-center and the locking ring is of varied thickness. The inboard component of the handle comprises a straight tube-like shaft of lightweight material, of between about 1 and 2 inches in diameter, having a wall thickness sufficient to provide rigidity. The inboard component has an overall internal diameter sufficient to accommodate the outside diameter of the outboard component. Both the inboard and outboard ends of the inboard component are open, which allows a hanging cap to be press fit into the open end of the inboard end of the inboard component. The hanging cap comprises a shaft, between about 3 and 4 inches in length, made of a hard plastic. In position between the shovel and the handle is a movable holder that has an inboard component and an outboard component. The outboard component comprises a shaft of plastic with a diameter of between about xc2xd inch and 1-xc2xd inches, which terminates at its outboard end in a flat, circular, surface which lies on the lateral axis. The flat surface has an aperture of between about 1 and 2 inches in depth and a diameter of between about xc2xd inch to 1 inch. The aperture is located centrally in the flat surface of the outboard end, on the longitudinal axis. It is configured to allow for a press fit of the connecting member of the shovel into the outboard end of the outboard component of the movable holder. The overall length of the outboard component is between about 4 and 6 inches. The inboard end of the outboard component of the movable holder has a diameter of between about xc2xe inch and 1-xc2xd inches. The diameter of the outboard end of the outboard component is between about 1 and 2 inches in diameter, with the diameter of the inboard end of the outboard component being larger than the outboard diameter of that component. The inboard end of the outboard component is rounded at the end, having a radius of between about xc2xdinch and 1 inch, and two parallel surfaces that lie in the longitudinal axis. The parallel surfaces that lie in the mid line of the shovel, have a thickness of between about xc2xd inch and 1 inch. One parallel surface is flat and the other parallel surface has raised ridged teeth runs from the central point of the surface, radially to the outer edge of the inboard end. There is an aperture, sized to accommodate a locking bolt, centrally located, perpendicular to the parallel surfaces of that end and lying in the lateral axis on the inboard end of the outboard component. The inboard component of the movable holder, has an inboard and outboard end. The inboard end comprises a shaft of plastic material, of between about 5 and 7 inches in length, with an outside diameter of between about 1 and 2 inches. The inboard end of the inboard component of the movable holder has an aperture running from the inboard end of the inboard component of the movable holder, inward, centrally, along the longitudinal axis between about 2 and 3 inches. This aperture has an inside diameter being sufficiently sized, and the inboard side of the inboard component of the movable holder wall has a sufficient wall thickness, to accommodate a shaft, being the handle thread, which could be treated attached to the inboard end of the inboard component. The threaded aperture runs to within between about 1 and 3 inches of the most outboard end of the inboard component of the movable holder. The outboard end of the inboard component is rounded, and has a radius of between about {fraction (1/2 )}inch and 1 inch. The outboard end of the rounded end of the inboard component has two parallel surfaces, defining a thickness of between about xc2xc inch and 1 inch in thickness, lying in the longitudinal axis and parallel with the mid line of the shovel. These parallel surfaces each having raised ridged teeth which run from the central point of the surface, radially to the outer edge of the outboard end. There is an aperture, sized to accommodate a locking bolt, centrally located, perpendicular to the parallel surfaces of the outboard end of the inboard component of the movable holder, lying in the lateral axis. Through this aperture a locking bolt with a wingnut are employed. The bolt is threaded with between about a three sixteenths and one half inch thread. The bolt functions to hold together the ridged, toothed surfaces of the inboard and outboard components of the movable holder, locking the parts in place, but allowing a pivoting movement within the long axis by loosening the bolt.
There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, the more important features of the invention in order that the detailed description thereof that follows may be better understood and in order that the present contribution to the art may be better appreciated. There are, of course, additional features of the invention that will be described hereinafter and which will form the subject matter of the claims attached.
In this respect, before explaining at least one embodiment of the invention in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and to the arrangements of the components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the drawings. The invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced and carried out in various ways. Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology employed herein are for the purpose of descriptions and should not be regarded as limiting.
As such, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the conception, upon which this disclosure is based, may readily be utilized as a basis for the designing of other structures, methods and systems for carrying out the several purposes of the present invention. It is important, therefore, that the claims be regarded as including such equivalent constructions insofar as they do not depart from the spirit and scope of the present invention.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a new and improved a gutter cleaning system which has all of the advantages of the prior art house maintenance devices and apparatuses of known design and configuration and none of the disadvantages.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a new and improved a gutter cleaning system which may be easily and efficiently manufactured and marketed.
It is further object of the present invention to provide a new and improved a gutter cleaning system which is of durable and reliable constructions.
An even further object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved a gutter cleaning system which is susceptible of a low cost of manufacture with regard to both materials and labor, and which accordingly is then susceptible of low prices of sale to the consuming public, thereby making such a gutter cleaning system economically available to the buying public.
Even still another object of the present invention is to provide a gutter cleaning system for conveniently removing debris from gutters.
Lastly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a new and improved gutter cleaning system, comprising, a shovel working surface with a connecting component comprising a rigid member having a xe2x80x9cZxe2x80x9d shaped configuration, and a handle having an inboard and outboard component with a locking mechanism comprising a shaft and a split rotatable ring, and a hanging cap end, and lastly, a movable holder, having an inboard component coupled to the handle and an outboard component coupled to the shovel, with a locking bolt with a wingnut.
These together with other objects of the invention, along with the various features of novelty which characterize the invention, are pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this disclosure. For a better understanding of the invention, its operating advantages and the specific objects attained by its uses, reference should be had to the accompanying drawings and descriptive matter in which there is illustrated preferred embodiments of the invention.